Meant to Be
by MissMandS
Summary: Dori is mostly happy in his marriage to their resident burglar. He wants for a baby, one thing which he and Bilbo attempt to have only things don't go the way he plans. A family emergency, an unexpected death and then the two find themselves new guardians. Mpreg. Trigger warning: mentions of miscarriage.
1. Chapter 1

**TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of a miscarriage**

* * *

Pregnancy does not exactly go as Dori plans. He knows there will be very unpleasant things of course: nausea which affects him each and every morning when his eyes open up. His ankles swell up and get sore despite nearly always being propped up. Gaining weight does not bother him as he views it as the baby growing, getting stronger in their quickly shrinking space. But it does not go as he plans. First there are sharp cramps and when he uses the bathroom there is more blood than urine. Losing the baby is not a part of his plan. Bilbo lies with him afterwards and promises that he is not upset at Dori, that this is not Dori's fault and that really everything will be okay. He keeps promising.

They try again and again but it does not happen. There are false alarms in which Dori feels sick all hours of the day and night. And he swears that his ankles have swollen up more and more. But eventually the nausea stops and his ankles are swollen from standing too much. So they get a dog instead. The dog is Bilbo's idea. He approaches Dori with a puppy that is more fluff than fur, its ears and feet too long and too big for their little body.

"What do you think? I talked to Bofur, he's been thinking about getting one for Bifur and says this puppy is calm and loving…We can let him snuggle in bed with us." Bilbo tries. The idea of a dog snuggling and lying in their bed, slobber flying and paws scratching; it is less than favorable to Dori. But Bilbo is staring at him, puppy cuddled up in his arms and hopeful gleam in his eyes. Dori stares at the puppy and then at the courting braid that hangs over the shell of one of his leaf shaped ears. Still he frowns.

"Are you sure that a dog is what we need Bilbo? You know that I don't…" Dori trails off as the puppy lets out a yawn. "It needs a nap." Dori says decisively and takes the puppy from Bilbo, cradling it like a baby. He can feel the ridge of the spine through the fur, the puppy's ribs and hip bones. It needs to eat, to have a nap…A nap which Dori imagines will happen in their bed because the puppy cannot stand to be alone. Finally he huffs as the puppy turns its nose into his clothes.

The puppy is named Drogo after Bilbo's cousin who says that the dog reminds him of his cousin and despite Dori's attempts to keep the puppy out of the bedroom he ends up snuggled between the two of them. Still Dori wants for a baby. He wants for his stomach to swell up and grow bigger and bigger until he feels ready to pop. He wants his ankles to be swollen and his stomach to become stretch marked because of pregnancy. He wishes that Drogo was a baby for them, all their own.

"Bilbo could I ask you something?" Dori waits until the lights have been turned out and Drogo has begun to snore when he asks.

"You know that you can ask me anything." Bilbo promises and rolls over. His hand reaches for his stomach only to stop and drift towards Dori's hair.

"Do you think we're not meant to be parents? I mean we have tried and tried but nothing has come from it…We lost one and maybe that was a sign?" Bilbo lets out a soft sound, not quite a whimper and not quite warm. He climbs over Drogo and settles on top of Dori, hovering there in the dark.

"We are meant to do absolutely everything. We have the choice to do them all or only do some of them. We're meant to be parents and we can become parents." Bilbo promises and presses a kiss to Dori's forehead. The kiss turn into many and then wandering hands underneath clothes and skin. And together they press closer and closer, kissing and touching and feeling until the bed creaks and the headboard smacks the wall. By the end of it Dori is worn out and sticky with sweat and come; Bilbo pressing kisses to his brow that feel like promises. And he almost believes them.

* * *

He waits and watches for any signs, any symptoms. There is the nausea but it's from eating too much, his body still adjusting to Bilbo's meals. When his stomach cramps up he is hopeful. But then nothing happens still. The cramping stops and he is left with disappointment. And then he wakes up to Bilbo being gone with a frantically scribbled note on their desk. In his place is Dwalin who lies sprawled across the sofa.

"Family emergency, Bilbo ordered me to stay behind and look after you." Dwalin explains and ignores Dori swatting at his feet on the arm of the chair.

"Get your filthy boots of my furniture. And what exactly is this emergency? I can't read his handwriting…" Dori squints at the handwriting and tries to make sense of it. Bilbo's normally flowing handwriting is nothing more than tight chicken scratch.

"Family emergency, don't know exactly what happened. Only that someone, Drogo and Primula died." Dwalin frowns at the names and stares at Dori with brows raised. "Do the names mean anything to you?" There had been a variety of names and faces at the wedding but still he can remember a young faced hobbit lad and lass, hands clasped and smiling at each little thing the other did. Too young to be dead. Hit with a wave of nausea Dori runs for the bathroom, hand over his mouth and tears pricking at his eyes. Behind him Dwalin makes a promise about tea that Dori knows will be too watery and have little flavor. But he will drink it anyways. And he does, still thinking of hobbits too young to be dead.

* * *

I got hit with the urge to write some mpreg. Littlenori wanted some Bilbo/Dori. I put this on summer one shots but figured I would post it as a standalone too for those who want to read it by itself and is easier this way.


	2. Chapter 2

Dwalin manages to put up with Dori for two and a half days before he gets tired of Dori's 'I miss Bilbo' sighs as he calls them. He leaves the house, pointing at Dori as he walks out. There is a scowl on his face, one which Dori ignores as he continues his knitting and lets out yet another sigh.

"Wait here, don't move. Don't go to the market; don't make tea…If you somehow burn this place down then Bilbo will…Just stay here. I will be back." There is a childish part of Dori that considers going just to spite Dwalin but he remains in the chair, knitting even as the door slams behind Dwalin. He is still knitting whenever Dwalin returns, carting Balin behind him who he shoves at Dori.

"For being the captain of the guard you certainly aren't very quick. Can I get up and make some tea now or would that make Bilbo wring your neck?" Dori asks dryly. Balin shoos Dwalin away towards the kitchen and then comes to join Dori, sitting down on the arm of the chair.

"Dwalin tried." Balin says quietly, smiling as Dori hums his agreement. The two sit together in silence, listening to the sounds of Dwalin stumbling around the kitchen and cursing. When he returns it is with a tray of murky looking tea and a cookie shoved into his mouth. Trailing behind him is Nori who has several crumbs in his beard and spread across his front. Dori sighs and throws a glare at Nori who only shoves more cookies into his mouth from his pocket.

"I wanted cookies but you would have made me visit you if I wanted cookies. And Bilbo isn't here so he can't tell you to let me have them. Also I missed you." Nori sits down on his lap roughly, smiling at Dori who scowls at him. Finally Dori sighs and pats Nori on the cheek albeit a little sharply.

"I missed you too I suppose." Nori frowns as he sighs, lifting one of his hands to squeeze Dori's shoulder.

"When is Bilbo supposed to come home? I'm not particularly fond of this mopey, sulky you." Dori thinks about Bilbo's note that is more chicken scratch than anything, nearly impossible for him to read.

"Mahal only knows." Dori mutters and tries to ignore Nori's butt which digs into his shins and the murky tea that Dwalin hands to them.

* * *

Dori still follows his morning routines that he would with Bilbo though he sulks more than a grown dwarf should. And perhaps he cleans the house more than he normally would to a point that Nori begins to beg him to stop. But he considers it normal for him. Well…Normal enough. He continues his almost normal routine for nearly a month when Bilbo returns. Dori is sleeping when he comes back, one arm around Drogo and his leg extended to where Bilbo normally sleeps. It's Drogo that wakes him up. The dog sits up sharply, lip curling back to expose his teeth as he darts out of the room, barking and yipping angrily.

Dori sits up slowly, not quite awake. His hair is half up, half down and his eyes bleary. All he can think about is the fact that Drogo is barking, more excited than angry now.

"Nori whatever you did I will deal with in the morning, my head is absolutely throbbing and I am exhausted." It's not Nori but Kili who peers around the doorway, smiling sheepishly at Dori who sighs. "You know I would really rather deal with Nori. What is it Kili?"

"Now I take offense to that. I am merely helping Bilbo back; he has a lot of bags you know." Hearing Bilbo's name is enough for Dori to stand from the bed, blankets thrown back and his feet hitting the ground in a sprint. He doesn't bother with an apology as he pushes past Kili and into the front room where Bilbo stands with Drogo in his arms. Thorin and Fili are standing with him, Fili with an armful of bags and Thorin with a small bundle in his arms which he jiggles. Dori grabs Bilbo first, yanking him into a hug and pressing his lips against the top of Bilbo's head.

"I missed you…I missed you and I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for what happened. They didn't deserve to…I mean. I missed you so much." Dori says and runs his thumbs under Bilbo's eyes, over his cheekbones and down his jaw. Bilbo looks thoroughly exhausted, dark bags beneath his eyes and reeking of sweat and a scent that Dori cannot quite place. It takes him a moment to realize that it's spit up, strong and sharp; the same smell covering Thorin. Dori looks at Bilbo only for him to shrug.

"We can talk about it in the morning. Thorin could you please?" Bilbo asks and the king nods.

"We will bring in the rest, don't worry. Go to bed before you fall asleep here." Dori pushes all thoughts and questions from his mind as Bilbo squeezes him around the waist and gives him an exhausted half smile. Dori sighs and tries to ignore the sharp smell of spit up as he leads Bilbo towards the bedroom where Kili leans against the doorway, pouting.

"We eventually have to discuss the vicious shoving incident that took place Dori." Kili says. Dori guides Bilbo into the room first and then turns to face Kili.

"I'm sorry Kili." And with that Dori closes the door in his face. He settles in the bed beside Bilbo who is still clothed, eyes closed and one hand linked into his curls as he begins to snore. Dori lies for a moment to watch him then closes his eyes and for the first time since Bilbo left falls into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

When Dori wakes up he is aware of a few things. He has slept in past Bilbo because the spot beside him is cold and Drogo has gone from the room. There are flowers sitting on the bedside, the petals wrinkled and dry. And Nori is sitting on the foot of the bed with a baby lying against his hand who keeps making small sounds with each pat Nori lays on his back. The baby is tiny, nearly as tiny as Ori once was. They have a headful of dark curls which belonged to Primula, Dori remembers and pointed, leaf shaped ears. Everything about them screams hobbit and seeing the baby in Nori's hands is somehow strange. Fili sits beside them, making small coos and giving the occasional clap by the baby's ear. It reacts slowly, eyes blinking as it attempts to turn its head towards the sound.

"Deaf." Dori says quietly and Nori nods, flipping the baby over to look up at him.

"Yeah, Bilbo said that the healers didn't really have a reason for it. Elrond and his daughter looked but could find nothing. One of those things I guess…Frodo is his name." Dori watches Frodo, lifting his fingers by the baby's ears and snapping. The reaction is delayed but still Frodo turns his head.

"He has partial hearing but how much of it will remain…We don't know." Nori shrugs and lifts Frodo until their noses are touching.

"I never saw you as one to enjoy babies. This is very…I'm not sure whether I should feel scared or uncomfortable." Dori confesses.

"I will have you know I enjoy babies just fine. It turns out that I love hobbit babies more though, yes I do. Your fat little face, just want to squish it. Keep me out of jail, yes you will." Dori rolls his eyes at Nori but does not attempt to stop his fussing as he stands from bed, still bouncing Frodo. Fili lingers for a moment, smiling at Dori and then reaching out to pat his knee.

"You'll love him in no time Dori, really. I held him and so did uncle, he is so warm and heavy and." Fili trails off then clears his throat, shrugging. "He's so very real." Dori tries to imagine Frodo, how a baby that Fili has held only once can already feel so real and warm and heavy. But then Fili is leaving and being replaced by Bilbo who settles next to him, sliding up against him and then sighing.

"I am still exhausted. Believe me Dori when I tell you that you did not miss a thing in the Shire. And if I ever say I want to go back there I need you to slap me and give me a good shaking."

"I can give you a hug that nearly squeezes the life from you." And that is exactly what he does, pulling Bilbo to him and burying his nose into his curls he allows himself to fall back to sleep.

* * *

Life with Frodo brings about several changes in the household. For one, Nori is over a lot more often. Often times Dori finds him holding Frodo, cooing, trying to earn a gummy smile in his favor. There are some days that Dwalin joins him, an almost smile on his face whenever he watches the two of them together. Ori watches the exchange and shrugs as he holds out yet another stack of sweaters, varying in size and color. Dori thinks that he occasionally sees a small knowing smile on Ori's face but never says it aloud.

Dinners among the company suddenly become louder. A lot louder as everyone (mostly the princes and Gimli) hold up something or another to Frodo's face and tell him exactly what it is, dragging the words out and nodding for each smile or coo they get. He hears some things Dori finds out quickly whenever Drogo takes off down the hallway with loud, harsh yips. But still Frodo's reaction is delayed, his head jerking back and forth in an attempt to find exactly where the sound comes from. But he reacts. He looks and frowns and puckers his lips in silent frustration.

The first giggle, the first real one comes whenever Beorn decides to visit. A visit from the skin changer is rare, as rare as a dwarven child so to open the door and find him towering is a little bit surprising to say the least. Frodo, now old enough to be held without someone supporting his head stares goggled eye at Beorn. Beorn does not ask, merely reaches out and grabs Frodo, lifting him above his head.

"Little itty bitty, tiny baby bunny." Beorn says and without warning lets go ofFrodo only to catch him at his chest. From behind Dori, Bilbo lets out a startled shriek that nearlydrowns out Frodo's gurgle which is not quite a laugh, not quite a squeal. Dori lets Bilbo charge past him, babbling all the while about if Frodo is okay. When his back is turned he puts one hand to his stomach, at the small swell forming and goes to make tea. This can be his little secret for just a while longer.

* * *

And it is complete.


End file.
